January 8, 2026 • 28 mins
On this episode of Unleashed, Cheryl Kaye meets Brian at the dog park and hears the heartwarming story of Forrest —Brian’s very first dog at age 43—adopted through Magic City Canine, a unique prison-based training program at the Everglades Correctional Institution. Brian shares what it’s really like to finally become a dog dad: the joy, the bonding, the routines, the unexpected responsibilities, and how Forrest has fit into family life with teenagers and a cat at home. Cheryl and Brian talk dog-park dynamics, training, hand signals, ball-thief behavior, leash manners, pool safety, and the surprising ways dogs change your social life and daily rhythm. Then, in a powerful addendum, Cheryl reveals that Forrest was returned—and delivers an emotional, eye-opening message about what “returning” a dog can do to their trust, confidence, and sense of home, reminding listeners that adopting a pet must be a forever commitment.
EPISODE NOTES: Adopted, Trained, Loved… Returned: The Truth About Taking a Dog Back
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unleashed-pet-life-radio-original--6669265/support.
EPISODE NOTES: Adopted, Trained, Loved… Returned: The Truth About Taking a Dog Back
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unleashed-pet-life-radio-original--6669265/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hi everybody, Cheryl from Unleashed and today I have a
very special guest, Brian. Here you go, and this is
a very unique situation. As you will know, I take
Tilley to the dog bark and lo and behold Brian
shows up with his dog. When you see the picture
of this dog, he is absolutely gorgeous. So Brian, give
(00:37):
us a little background on you and how you ended
up getting Forrest, and then we'll talk about what Forrest
is like and what your life now is a dog owner.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Is like, Yes, I got Forest.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I randomly was looking online, you know, just randomly and
wanted to adopt a dog or get a dog in
my life, buy a dog, adopted dog.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
And I'd wanted one for many many years.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
When I was a young kid, isn't so, I was
like six or seven years old, and you know, my
parents say we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Get a dog. We're gonna get a dog one day.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We never did, never ended over getting more. Now I'm
forty three, so it's been many years. So finally, you know,
I just got this urge. You know, about a few
months ago, I was like, Hey, I want a dog.
It's you know, the days aren't time is passing by quick,
and I was like, I want a dog.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So I looked down the line.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I ran across the website from Magic City Canine that's
in Miami, and they had a list of dogs that.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
They trained, Magic City canaan Is.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I found out after the fact, you know, if I
started talking to them for a bit, messaging back and forth,
that they are out of a prison Everglades Correctional Institution
that's in southwest Miami by then by the Macasot Mikasuki
casino area. And I went there and they said, hey,
we have a dog here, good temperament, and I have
a cat at home which as well as the kids.
(01:54):
So I was like, he's good with these small animals,
he'd be real good with kids. So they let me
go by there for maybe beating in September to take
him home for a few hours.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
And I took him on the first time. Everything went
very well, played with him in.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
The backyard at the house, brought him back and then
let me take him home one more time again to see,
you know, if I if he was compatible and same thing.
He was very nice in the house, calm, good with
the cat, and the kids. So I decided to say, hey, yeah,
definitely like to adopt him. You know, paid the fee
and the second time. After the second time I took
(02:26):
him back, there was probably like a good three to
four week delay because he had to finish. I guess
a training program, like I was telling you, at the prison,
they have prisoners who eventually be getting out one day
so they can earn, you know, another skill in life
when they get out, training the dogs, and he graduated
against his little course.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Picked him up. From there.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I met his trainers and they showed me all the
tricks that he knows, gave me a list of stuff
about him, what he can do and what we need
to work on. And then from there, you know, I
took him home and I found about the dog park
because my neighbor directly across the street he has three
dogs and he goes to the dog park mainly at night.
He'll be like six o'clock. He told me about it.
(03:05):
I ended up going to the first day, and that
was probably littlever a month ago, and ever since then,
I've probably been going about what four times a week.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
When you first came, that's when I met you. Yes, correct,
And boy has he changed.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh yeah, yeah, Forest, Yes, definitely, he's become part of
the pack, like he said, So.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
He really is a really wonderful dog. Of course he
is a ball thief.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Oh yeah, yeah. When he's in a prison. Maybe he
was there for effect. We don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So, you know, from being an adult now and having
a dog, you know, a little kid, is it everything
that you thought it would be.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know, it's it's more because I've had kids in life,
you know, took care of the babies are over now,
seventeen thirteen.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But the responsibility, it's still responsibility. It's like taking care
of a kid.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
It's definitely more than I thought, because you know, you
get up, you got to feed him, take him out,
clean up after him.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
He's good in the house.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
He doesn't really go to the bathroom in the house,
but sometimes you know, he will here and there. You know,
got to clean up. So yeah, it's but definitely, you
know the aspect of having a dog and being happy
and bringing joy to your life, oh yeah, it's definitely
that that and much more.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I love having them there.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
He's adapting, adapting to the house very well, you know, in.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Time, and he is really very well, you know, socialized.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Oh yeah, probably because the dogs he's around in the
in the prison. There's a good group of dogs there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
So they train them in the prison. Are they all
being trained at the same time.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, by different people, Yeah, but different handlers obviously, But
they're all close to each other. Cages or wherever. The
quarters are like next to each other. So he was
interacting with dogs this entire time. So that's probably why
he's like he is the way he is.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, because he is very sociable. I mean it's really uh.
I mean, we'll have mixed ups here and there over
you know, somebody wants somebody ball or or this or that.
But we're very lucky because odd dog park, everybody gets along.
There's really if you talk to some of the other
people that they go to other parks. I just go
(05:03):
to the one we go to Once in a while,
I'll try another one and if there's an event somewhere.
But really, I mean it's so close to where we live,
I mean why not. Sometimes I don't even I don't
even get stopped at a light. It's one and a
half miles, you know. I go with the two dogs,
Molly and Tilly, and it's bedlam it's bedlam. You know,
(05:25):
I have to have a buzzer or whatever. But on
the way back they're wiped out. So no, it is
a wonderful thing. And you know, I was raised with
dogs and then you know, as I got older, I
did cats. You know, when you're single. I'm still single now,
but your lifestyle it's so much easier with cats because
you don't have to be home certain times feet and
(05:46):
walk them. I mean there's schedules involved with having a dog.
But it was the best thing I ever did. I
mean I have for three years. Yeah, three years, and
I wouldn't change a thing. We walk about anywhere from
five just seven miles a day. She has her routine
and I have to keep up with it. But it's
a good thing. And you know, you meet so many
(06:08):
great people because yeah, of course we're very lucky. We
have great people at our park. I mean we're like
one big family.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Oh yeah, all walks of life, definitely.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, met a lot of nice people in the last month,
month and a half or wherever he's been for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So how as farest with the cat? Did they near
each other or do they Yeah, he goes.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
That he actually approaches the cat and more than she
does to him, and he goes how he is with
the dogs at the park around to sniffer and get
real is happy. There's no aggression at all, but she
hisses at him. He's kind of backs away a little bit. Yeah,
tries to sniffer. You know how dogs greet each other,
They sniff each other's end. I think that to her and.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
See pee on each other's pea.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Well, yeah, you'll eat in the house a couple times
in the same spot, and but it's plant and a
cat is always around there, so yeah, you're right about that.
But uh yeah, she susguises is her territory for while.
She was there a lot longer than him though. That's
why she gets a little upset. But he's very good
with her, shows no way aggression, Like I said, interests
(07:08):
that he'll go lay down and he can lay by
her in the same vicinity and there's no aggression towards
each other.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Goes Harry, you walk her in your neighborhood, And how
does he respond when you walk him in the neighborhood
because he walks very well.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
He who usually have the same route and he think
he knows where he's going, he'll go to the bathroom
a lot the same spots. He doesn't really pull in
the leash. Now I've noticed. I have that ball, the
squeezy one or a tennis ball. And if he doesn't move,
or he stays in the same spots, or her try
to bite the leasha a little still, that puppy tendency,
I'll toss the ball and boom, he'll grab it and
then they'll start walking againside.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Distract him.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Where did he come from?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Do you know? Originally? Yeah, I have nowhere to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
But they don't even know you that the Everglade's Correctional Institution.
They don't really know originally where he came from. He
is rescued from somewhere, So I yeah, that I don't know.
Do'n knows history.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You might be able to look into it. You might
be able to do a freedom of information. Because when
I adopted Tilly from the shelter, they told me they
found her on the road, you know, on a neighborhood street.
When I did the freedom of information, I found out
that she was left in an outdoor cage with another dog.
(08:16):
I got her in August, so she went through fourth
of July all thunderstorms. And now I know why she
goes after the hose because she wasn't abused, but she
probably was neglected that they just hosed her off. That's
why I gose after the hose. And of course you
know why she has to have everything that she wants
(08:38):
and never gives it up is because she was fighting
for whatever she got. So you might want to look
into that because it would be interesting. Yeah, of course
he really is very mellow and as a puppy, being
trained is a big difference. I got Tilly at eleven months.
I just thought it would be easier than having a puppy,
(08:59):
and it's not. I walked Tilly. She goes her route
and it is not to be changed. Not to the left,
not to the right, or she gives me the side eye.
But of course she picks up stuff as we go along,
like coconuts. She'd be outer shell of it, you know.
(09:20):
Sometimes she keeps it in her jaw and I find
it in the morning. Now she's she's a thief. And
how does your wife feel about Forrest and the kids?
Because they never had dogs either, right? Did your wife
grow up with any pets?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Cats? Just cat? I believe not dogs.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, a dog is a presence. It's not like like
cats they go and sleep somewhere. Dogs you know, they're there.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, definitely, for sure, dogs are there.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
You had a cat until a big difference, a big
difference between that cat and that dog, for.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Sure, you know, the more loyal way, more loyal for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah. But with far as size matters, because what is
one hundred and ten pounds?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, we out there in that neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yes, absolutely, I mean you had to get a big dog, right,
of course.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I couldn't picture myself walking around the street, you know
the way, and with a little tiny dog, you know,
a man.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
He needed something to fit me.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Well, do overman rott Wilder like a German Shepherd, Belgium melon.
While those are the three, but I always wanted a
do overman in life.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That's the ones.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I always want a picture of him. But he's not
like your regular Rottwiler. And we don't know if he's
pure anyway. But they didn't do his tail, they didn't
mess with his ears. You know. From different views, he
could look like a retriever.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Some mean he thought in the neighborhood that he was
a retriever. Recently a week or two, I was walking
and I saw that night it was a little darker,
got that.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Brown you know, and color that all of them have.
And sometimes you know that other the other dog that's there,
I Colley Linder. I don't know how to say her name.
Their butts they have a design on their butts with
the brown.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Yeah, yeah, you did tell me that recent there, I
remember repell on to that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
And your kids love them?
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Oh yeah, yeah, my kids like him.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I mean, my daughter's almost eighteen soon, my son's thirteen,
so they're not like babies, but yeah, oh yeah, I
definitely do. He likes my son a lot, gets along
of them very well. He's real excited and he sees
him the morning and and you know, because they jump
by and kiss him.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
He's pretty close with him.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Does anybody besides you walk him?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Uh No, just mainly me, my son here and there,
but uh, he moves the most with me. I he'll
go if somebody else will trying to walk him. My
daughter's boyfriend has you know, he's good with dogs, but
he'll still stop and look for me. He waits for me,
he'll stay until I come, So He's attached to me
a lot, so he wants to be around me, so
it's very easy for me to walk him.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Until you want to go on a vacation hah ha.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yeah, for sure, I'll get to that point one day.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
We could talk about it. But you might want to
try some of these pet resorts. I could give you
a couple of names. They allow you an afternoon for free.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Oh really, okay, to check that out for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And you know, like four or five hours. It might
be fun for him something different, just to see. They
have overnights, but they'll let you come in during the
day for free. And a couple of them they have
a pool. It'd be curious to see what he would
do with that.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Oh yeah, we were a pool. I do have a pool.
I do have a pool as well.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Does it go in your pool?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
He hasn't one of you.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
He's curious. He steps on the steps a little bit.
The ball falls in. The ball he plays with the
backhard falls in. He looks at it and he tries
to reach it. It's a little hesitant. He tried to
get in the jump in. I think he did once,
but I wasn't there then he actually is He actually
got knocked in the pool once by another dog who
doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
How to get in. They know how to get out.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Oh though, he got knocked in by accident one time
another dog.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
It was over, but he.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Got out, So you get out the steps.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Steps, Yeah, yeah, yeah, the steps.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
That's what he has to learn because that a lot
of trainers. That's the first thing they teach a dog
with a pool is how to get out. Same thing
with kids.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
People say, oh, my kids swims. You know, my little
kid swims. Well, you got to be able to swim
from one end to the pool to the other. But
what happens with kids is they get terrified and then
they get tired. Yeah yeah, absolutely, always know where the
sides are. So let's take a break and we'll be
right back with Brian, real people, real stories.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Our little dog.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
He helped this lump problem at the chemotherapy lasted for
six months, started developing more lymph nose, so I thought
I'd just try carnivore. If the lymph nose started to
go down, then I took him into the vet to
him checked out and there was no signs at all. Inside.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
My cat had issues that developed in his height. And
three months later my ven airing said this, go ahead
and remove the eye. I heard the Carnivore on advertising,
so I said, you know what, I'm going to order
this product. They did the procedure, they did all the
death and they said, I don't know what you did
this product.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
They his eye.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I've got a labrador.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
You could hardly lift yourself up off the door. The
treatment was came to therapy. That's when I said this
could be the ticket. About three weeks could tell she.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Was very alert. She was going on buy my walk and.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
She could like crime again.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
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That's eight six six eight three six eight seven three five.
Or visit carnivore dot com.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
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Speaker 4 (14:26):
Let's talk past.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Let's done past. Talk about radio, Hetline.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Radio, petlve radio dot com.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Okay, everybody, we're back with Brian and this is his
first dog. He's in his forties and he finally has
his first dog, which is I think it's a wonderful thing.
Too bad you can't take him to work with you.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That would be great if I was in the canine
almost one day, almost one.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
But you could train him, Yeah, train well.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I am a friend from work.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
He had a policewoman at the park that used to
bring her dobe. Yeah, tell me little area. And then
the dog flunked out. Okay, thank the dog to run.
And I always used to say to oh, bring her,
bring her in with us. No, can't do. But he
did it for a couple of months and then and
then the dog flunked out.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
I got a friend from work who does rescues from
melon was and the shepherds, and he just training to us.
I was thinking about bringing forced to him as well.
I know you told me about the other gay Miguel.
I wanted to see as well, this guy with the
melon loss. He would kind of training. He has maybe
get Forrest trained somehow as well, a.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Little bit more.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Yeah, I mean, I think quite frankly, we were talking today,
I think Forrest knows more than what you know. He knows.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, me too.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Definitely, like hand signals, I think they did because we
watch him walk. He's got the focus on you. That's
the most important. That they like. I asked Molly until
he to check in every once in a while.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I remember he told me that they did the park.
He came back to check on me. Your guy, he's
checking in the duw.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
That's good. I remember you told me that.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, but they told you what they taught him.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Right, They did have hand signals for dob. Yeah, they
didn't know they have the hand signals as well.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
They do for sure. They told me yeah, and he
still I still came him to do it. He was
very food motivated. It told very food motivated with the
treats and stuff for the hand sign Uh. How they
trained him and you know he still doesn't. But I
don't want to get away from the how do you
call it from? Like with the commands that he knows
he still has.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But unless you want use your fingers and you got
the ball, believe it or not. It's like all of
those dogs there, they're into the ball. If it's not theirs,
they want, somebody else's stelling.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You about the commands. I have a list.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
I want to show you what they gave me of
all all the commands. He should know there's a whole
bunch of them. I'll bring it the next time I
see you.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
This might I hope inspire other people when they go
to look for a dog that there are different avenues
because a lot of people when I before I got Chilli,
I went through a forster because we wanted to make
sure that the dog I got got along with other
dogs and cats. And they threw me off, and I mean,
(17:19):
come on, how could you not want me to adopt
your dog? I was devastated. I had to go to
a shelter. I never went to a shelter in my life.
It was heartbreaking. So if this could be an avenue
for people to go and adopt, but yeah, had me right?
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Absolutely, Yeah, a great thing for sure. And I never
knew much about dogs.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I guess it's my first dog adopts in the process
and all that. Just look downline and want my gut
feeling and what felt right, and I happened to just
find them. I texted a car or. I texted, but
it was in contact with other agencies, and I almost
adopted a pit bull. She's real aggressive to call me,
call me, call me to adopt the pit bull. But
I see it sell the pitcher of forest and everything,
and the one's pushy they're pushy in the pit pool
(18:04):
for some reason. But the forest not let me take
him home twice.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
So he's he's the perfect doge. He really is, and
for our pack, he really is. He's going to be
a contender. He might end up being captain Captain of
the team with every different personality because some of the
other dogs, they're coming out of their shell and then
you know, you could see, I mean it's Tilly and
(18:28):
Molly and Mocha. You know, they've always played together, but
now we got Riley. He's becoming very vocal. When he
first came, he just walked with Bob. He didn't thing
to do with us. Listen, it's the best way to
start the day.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I love going on more. Yeah, you know it's my
dad going quick. I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
It's a wonderful thing.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Oh yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
If there's anything else you want to tell all listeners.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
So Kelenus forest By must change his name to because
the tag in his name takes a Damien Damien Forest goes.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
But he responds to that.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But it's a perfect name, fan.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, yeah, the perfect name for him.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
So you named him that or he had that name?
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Yeah, that was a name. Yeah, right first, saw pictures
and stuff of him and everything. Yeah, he's already named Forest.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Are the prisons do this as well?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I assume they do. I've heard of it, but I
don't know exactly which ones, but yeah, they do, though
they do.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
We're statewide, worldwide, there might be other states that so
to all our listeners, that's another avenue. And they're already trained.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yes, yeah, yeah, that's a good thing. They're already trained.
So it helped a lot, big difference like an old dog, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
With the other dogs that was in the pro mainly, No,
they're on the same age.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
A lot of them one year old. I saw some
two three year olds. There's one puppy in there. I
believe he was a shepherd Melonwalt mixed. He was a small,
a small, a few months old. They said he was
right next to Forest in his cage. And I have
the question originally how Forest would be from the cat. Well,
he's hasn't been specifically around cats necessarily, but he's around
the dog.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I think his name is the beagle was a dog's name.
He was a Malan wall shepherd and tough dogs.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, and they said it was very good around the
small dog, so he they assumed you be good the cat.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
He's good around dogs, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
That's what was next door in that smaller dog section.
He's very good with him too, So yeah, he doesn't
get aggressive.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You should bring him there because you know, when it's
too much mud, we go over there. At first they
made a big stink, but.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah we did the other day when I was there. Yeah,
I remember we thrown the ball over there and it
went over the other side of the fence.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Hark Park is bigger. Well, I want to thank you
for sharing your story.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Oh yeah, anytime, any time, for sure. Glad to share
it back once.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Uh, we'll do like an anniversary of what it's been
like to pick up poop for over a year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Adding a little tidbit to the show that you just
listened to, and that is to say that that gorgeous,
wonderful Forrest was returned, and needless to say, I'm very disappointed.
We got no warning that he was going to be returned,
and I just want to let people know what happens
(21:12):
to an animal when they are returned. Normally it's three
three and three three days after coming from wherever you
get the dog from to decompress and not be in
a cage and just relax. After those three days, it's
three weeks to they learn your routine, and after those
(21:36):
three weeks it's three months, so they believe and feel
they have found or forever home. Forrest didn't get that.
I think Forrest was only with this gentleman for two months.
But what it does to a dog is, you know,
they are living, breathing, sociable animal like ourselves. Number One,
(22:02):
they start to lose trust. Besides the sadness. And I'm
not saying that he went back to a bad situation.
I'm sure going back to the trainer, he's going to
be loved. I'm sure there's other dogs there that might
have been his pals. But when he was hanging with us,
this dog had it made. He had a lot of friends,
(22:24):
He chased balls, he was he could have been the
captain of the team. He was a really, really loved
member of our dog park. And what happens is, you know,
they lose their confidence and they become a little timid,
or maybe he'll create a persona that he won't be
(22:45):
so easy going. And I have to say this dog
was trained very well. Better than the owner that had
him knowing what this dog knew, because there were definitely
hand signals that even I would do with him that
I could see. He was for eighteen months, he was
(23:06):
trained well, and he lived well. And then he comes
out and he has a home and people that he
thought loved him. He came to the park with other
people who grew to love him, and he had dogs
that really liked him and wanted to play with him.
And then one day he's put into the car and
(23:28):
he's driven back and put back into a cage. I'm
sure that there is some socialization maybe with the other
dogs there, but this is what happens to the dogs.
When people, even people that go to a shelter, they
get a dog, you know, they give it a couple
of days or a couple of weeks, or even a
(23:49):
couple of months, and then they decide, ah, too much work.
I don't know if the dog is for me. You
know what, if you don't commit, don't get a dog.
If you can't be somebody who will commit, come hell
or high water, no matter what happens, when you walk
out with that dog, you have to keep that dog
(24:11):
until the day you have to put him down or
her down. Sorry, there's no excuses for this. I think
it's just lazy and it's selfish. If you didn't want
the dog and you weren't going to commit, then don't
get it. It's not like buying a pocket book or
a boat or a car. I'm very, very disappointed, as
(24:32):
is everybody else at the park, because nobody was even alerted.
Maybe there was somebody at the park that might have
wanted the dog. I heard through the grapevine that somebody
did want the dog, but because there was a contract,
they had to bring the dog back. Which listen, these
people are in jail, how are they gonna know? But
(24:54):
meanwhile there's a dog now back on the gravel, back
behind b I'm sure he's getting love and a lot
of you know, fun things, but in his mind is
the memory of where he was before. Because this dog
still was only eighteen months, so the dog definitely was
a puppy. And I just think it's cruel because I
(25:19):
think that the confidence and the trust is gonna shift
because and maybe the dog will develop certain other habits
because he didn't know what he did. You know, I
don't think he was brought back for anything. He did.
I think he was brought back for what the owner
couldn't provide, which was commitment. And I just think that
(25:43):
when you get a dog, a cat, when you make
that commitment. Listen, my Tillia is. She is not perfect.
She is a hoodlum. I wouldn't trade her for all
the tea in China. We adapt. I still love her,
you know, I work around it. She's not And she
was found outside in a cage, so a lot of
(26:04):
her stuff is for what she went through because when
I adopted her, I was told they found her on
the streets. That wasn't so she was in an outside
cage and I got her in August, which means she
went through fourth of July, which is a horrible time
for her any kind of fireworks, and down here in Florida,
(26:25):
when they do fireworks for one day, it lasts a week.
So you just have to you know, if you're not
gonna make the commitment, nobody's gonna fall. You don't get
an animal. Or maybe you'd be better at fostering if
you think that it's an animal that might be adopted
(26:46):
fairly soon, or maybe you know you could take a
dog for a weekend, you know, a fidoh weekend. But
if you're not going to commit forever, please don't get
a dog, because what happens is all of the pain
and the suffering and the sadness could pile up because
you know a lot of these dogs and shelters. How
(27:07):
many times have they been returned or what are they
doing in a shelter to begin with? I mean, the
most loving animals who would do anything for you, would
wag their tail when you come in the house. To
treat them that way is just unforgivable. So I just
wanted to let you know. I decided to post the
show anyway because it was delightful while it lasted. And
(27:32):
this is really a teaching moment that we don't really
know what Forest is going through, but since we at
our age have had pets and probably shelter animals and
met dogs that have certain issues anxiety, we can well
imagine that. I'm sure he's not happy we had a
loving home, or so he thought. But I just wanted
(27:55):
to enlighten you and maybe if somebody's listening there and
they're thinking of getting an animal to adopt, please only
adopt if you're going to make the commitment forever, because really,
these are living, breathing, wonderful animals and when you have them,
and it takes time for them to adjust. And that's
(28:18):
all I want to say. And I'm breathing regularly now
because I've been quite upset. I want to thank Mark,
I want to thank Tilly for making me a dog mom,
and remember to live life unleashed by everybody. See you
next time.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Let's talk.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
That's every week on demand only on petlive radio dot
com
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hi everybody, Cheryl from Unleashed and today I have a
very special guest, Brian. Here you go, and this is
a very unique situation. As you will know, I take
Tilley to the dog bark and lo and behold Brian
shows up with his dog. When you see the picture
of this dog, he is absolutely gorgeous. So Brian, give
(00:37):
us a little background on you and how you ended
up getting Forrest, and then we'll talk about what Forrest
is like and what your life now is a dog owner.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Is like, Yes, I got Forest.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
I randomly was looking online, you know, just randomly and
wanted to adopt a dog or get a dog in
my life, buy a dog, adopted dog.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
And I'd wanted one for many many years.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
When I was a young kid, isn't so, I was
like six or seven years old, and you know, my
parents say we're gonna.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Get a dog. We're gonna get a dog one day.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We never did, never ended over getting more. Now I'm
forty three, so it's been many years. So finally, you know,
I just got this urge. You know, about a few
months ago, I was like, Hey, I want a dog.
It's you know, the days aren't time is passing by quick,
and I was like, I want a dog.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
So I looked down the line.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I ran across the website from Magic City Canine that's
in Miami, and they had a list of dogs that.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
They trained, Magic City canaan Is.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I found out after the fact, you know, if I
started talking to them for a bit, messaging back and forth,
that they are out of a prison Everglades Correctional Institution
that's in southwest Miami by then by the Macasot Mikasuki
casino area. And I went there and they said, hey,
we have a dog here, good temperament, and I have
a cat at home which as well as the kids.
(01:54):
So I was like, he's good with these small animals,
he'd be real good with kids. So they let me
go by there for maybe beating in September to take
him home for a few hours.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
And I took him on the first time. Everything went
very well, played with him in.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
The backyard at the house, brought him back and then
let me take him home one more time again to see,
you know, if I if he was compatible and same thing.
He was very nice in the house, calm, good with
the cat, and the kids. So I decided to say, hey, yeah,
definitely like to adopt him. You know, paid the fee
and the second time. After the second time I took
(02:26):
him back, there was probably like a good three to
four week delay because he had to finish. I guess
a training program, like I was telling you, at the prison,
they have prisoners who eventually be getting out one day
so they can earn, you know, another skill in life
when they get out, training the dogs, and he graduated
against his little course.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Picked him up. From there.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I met his trainers and they showed me all the
tricks that he knows, gave me a list of stuff
about him, what he can do and what we need
to work on. And then from there, you know, I
took him home and I found about the dog park
because my neighbor directly across the street he has three
dogs and he goes to the dog park mainly at night.
He'll be like six o'clock. He told me about it.
(03:05):
I ended up going to the first day, and that
was probably littlever a month ago, and ever since then,
I've probably been going about what four times a week.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
When you first came, that's when I met you. Yes, correct,
And boy has he changed.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Oh yeah, yeah, Forest, Yes, definitely, he's become part of
the pack, like he said, So.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
He really is a really wonderful dog. Of course he
is a ball thief.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Oh yeah, yeah. When he's in a prison. Maybe he
was there for effect. We don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
So, you know, from being an adult now and having
a dog, you know, a little kid, is it everything
that you thought it would be.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You know, it's it's more because I've had kids in life,
you know, took care of the babies are over now,
seventeen thirteen.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But the responsibility, it's still responsibility. It's like taking care
of a kid.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
It's definitely more than I thought, because you know, you
get up, you got to feed him, take him out,
clean up after him.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
He's good in the house.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
He doesn't really go to the bathroom in the house,
but sometimes you know, he will here and there. You know,
got to clean up. So yeah, it's but definitely, you
know the aspect of having a dog and being happy
and bringing joy to your life, oh yeah, it's definitely
that that and much more.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I love having them there.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
He's adapting, adapting to the house very well, you know, in.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Time, and he is really very well, you know, socialized.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Oh yeah, probably because the dogs he's around in the
in the prison. There's a good group of dogs there.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
So they train them in the prison. Are they all
being trained at the same time.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah, by different people, Yeah, but different handlers obviously, But
they're all close to each other. Cages or wherever. The
quarters are like next to each other. So he was
interacting with dogs this entire time. So that's probably why
he's like he is the way he is.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, because he is very sociable. I mean it's really uh.
I mean, we'll have mixed ups here and there over
you know, somebody wants somebody ball or or this or that.
But we're very lucky because odd dog park, everybody gets along.
There's really if you talk to some of the other
people that they go to other parks. I just go
(05:03):
to the one we go to Once in a while,
I'll try another one and if there's an event somewhere.
But really, I mean it's so close to where we live,
I mean why not. Sometimes I don't even I don't
even get stopped at a light. It's one and a
half miles, you know. I go with the two dogs,
Molly and Tilly, and it's bedlam it's bedlam. You know,
(05:25):
I have to have a buzzer or whatever. But on
the way back they're wiped out. So no, it is
a wonderful thing. And you know, I was raised with
dogs and then you know, as I got older, I
did cats. You know, when you're single. I'm still single now,
but your lifestyle it's so much easier with cats because
you don't have to be home certain times feet and
(05:46):
walk them. I mean there's schedules involved with having a dog.
But it was the best thing I ever did. I
mean I have for three years. Yeah, three years, and
I wouldn't change a thing. We walk about anywhere from
five just seven miles a day. She has her routine
and I have to keep up with it. But it's
a good thing. And you know, you meet so many
(06:08):
great people because yeah, of course we're very lucky. We
have great people at our park. I mean we're like
one big family.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Oh yeah, all walks of life, definitely.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, met a lot of nice people in the last month,
month and a half or wherever he's been for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So how as farest with the cat? Did they near
each other or do they Yeah, he goes.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
That he actually approaches the cat and more than she
does to him, and he goes how he is with
the dogs at the park around to sniffer and get
real is happy. There's no aggression at all, but she
hisses at him. He's kind of backs away a little bit. Yeah,
tries to sniffer. You know how dogs greet each other,
They sniff each other's end. I think that to her and.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
See pee on each other's pea.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Well, yeah, you'll eat in the house a couple times
in the same spot, and but it's plant and a
cat is always around there, so yeah, you're right about that.
But uh yeah, she susguises is her territory for while.
She was there a lot longer than him though. That's
why she gets a little upset. But he's very good
with her, shows no way aggression, Like I said, interests
(07:08):
that he'll go lay down and he can lay by
her in the same vicinity and there's no aggression towards
each other.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Goes Harry, you walk her in your neighborhood, And how
does he respond when you walk him in the neighborhood
because he walks very well.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, he does.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
He who usually have the same route and he think
he knows where he's going, he'll go to the bathroom
a lot the same spots. He doesn't really pull in
the leash. Now I've noticed. I have that ball, the
squeezy one or a tennis ball. And if he doesn't move,
or he stays in the same spots, or her try
to bite the leasha a little still, that puppy tendency,
I'll toss the ball and boom, he'll grab it and
then they'll start walking againside.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Distract him.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Where did he come from?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Do you know? Originally? Yeah, I have nowhere to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
But they don't even know you that the Everglade's Correctional Institution.
They don't really know originally where he came from. He
is rescued from somewhere, So I yeah, that I don't know.
Do'n knows history.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
You might be able to look into it. You might
be able to do a freedom of information. Because when
I adopted Tilly from the shelter, they told me they
found her on the road, you know, on a neighborhood street.
When I did the freedom of information, I found out
that she was left in an outdoor cage with another dog.
(08:16):
I got her in August, so she went through fourth
of July all thunderstorms. And now I know why she
goes after the hose because she wasn't abused, but she
probably was neglected that they just hosed her off. That's
why I gose after the hose. And of course you
know why she has to have everything that she wants
(08:38):
and never gives it up is because she was fighting
for whatever she got. So you might want to look
into that because it would be interesting. Yeah, of course
he really is very mellow and as a puppy, being
trained is a big difference. I got Tilly at eleven months.
I just thought it would be easier than having a puppy,
(08:59):
and it's not. I walked Tilly. She goes her route
and it is not to be changed. Not to the left,
not to the right, or she gives me the side eye.
But of course she picks up stuff as we go along,
like coconuts. She'd be outer shell of it, you know.
(09:20):
Sometimes she keeps it in her jaw and I find
it in the morning. Now she's she's a thief. And
how does your wife feel about Forrest and the kids?
Because they never had dogs either, right? Did your wife
grow up with any pets?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Cats? Just cat? I believe not dogs.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Yeah, a dog is a presence. It's not like like
cats they go and sleep somewhere. Dogs you know, they're there.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, definitely, for sure, dogs are there.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
You had a cat until a big difference, a big
difference between that cat and that dog, for.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Sure, you know, the more loyal way, more loyal for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah. But with far as size matters, because what is
one hundred and ten pounds?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Yeah, we out there in that neighborhood.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yes, absolutely, I mean you had to get a big dog, right,
of course.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I couldn't picture myself walking around the street, you know
the way, and with a little tiny dog, you know,
a man.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
He needed something to fit me.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Well, do overman rott Wilder like a German Shepherd, Belgium melon.
While those are the three, but I always wanted a
do overman in life.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
That's the ones.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I always want a picture of him. But he's not
like your regular Rottwiler. And we don't know if he's
pure anyway. But they didn't do his tail, they didn't
mess with his ears. You know. From different views, he
could look like a retriever.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Some mean he thought in the neighborhood that he was
a retriever. Recently a week or two, I was walking
and I saw that night it was a little darker,
got that.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Brown you know, and color that all of them have.
And sometimes you know that other the other dog that's there,
I Colley Linder. I don't know how to say her name.
Their butts they have a design on their butts with
the brown.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Yeah, yeah, you did tell me that recent there, I
remember repell on to that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
And your kids love them?
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Oh yeah, yeah, my kids like him.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
I mean, my daughter's almost eighteen soon, my son's thirteen,
so they're not like babies, but yeah, oh yeah, I
definitely do. He likes my son a lot, gets along
of them very well. He's real excited and he sees
him the morning and and you know, because they jump
by and kiss him.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
He's pretty close with him.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Does anybody besides you walk him?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Uh No, just mainly me, my son here and there,
but uh, he moves the most with me. I he'll
go if somebody else will trying to walk him. My
daughter's boyfriend has you know, he's good with dogs, but
he'll still stop and look for me. He waits for me,
he'll stay until I come, So He's attached to me
a lot, so he wants to be around me, so
it's very easy for me to walk him.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Until you want to go on a vacation hah ha.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yeah, for sure, I'll get to that point one day.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
We could talk about it. But you might want to
try some of these pet resorts. I could give you
a couple of names. They allow you an afternoon for free.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Oh really, okay, to check that out for sure.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And you know, like four or five hours. It might
be fun for him something different, just to see. They
have overnights, but they'll let you come in during the
day for free. And a couple of them they have
a pool. It'd be curious to see what he would
do with that.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Oh yeah, we were a pool. I do have a pool.
I do have a pool as well.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Does it go in your pool?
Speaker 1 (12:18):
He hasn't one of you.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
He's curious. He steps on the steps a little bit.
The ball falls in. The ball he plays with the
backhard falls in. He looks at it and he tries
to reach it. It's a little hesitant. He tried to
get in the jump in. I think he did once,
but I wasn't there then he actually is He actually
got knocked in the pool once by another dog who
doesn't know.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
How to get in. They know how to get out.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Oh though, he got knocked in by accident one time
another dog.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
It was over, but he.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Got out, So you get out the steps.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Steps, Yeah, yeah, yeah, the steps.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
That's what he has to learn because that a lot
of trainers. That's the first thing they teach a dog
with a pool is how to get out. Same thing
with kids.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Yeah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
People say, oh, my kids swims. You know, my little
kid swims. Well, you got to be able to swim
from one end to the pool to the other. But
what happens with kids is they get terrified and then
they get tired. Yeah yeah, absolutely, always know where the
sides are. So let's take a break and we'll be
right back with Brian, real people, real stories.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Our little dog.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
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six months, started developing more lymph nose, so I thought
I'd just try carnivore. If the lymph nose started to
go down, then I took him into the vet to
him checked out and there was no signs at all. Inside.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
My cat had issues that developed in his height. And
three months later my ven airing said this, go ahead
and remove the eye. I heard the Carnivore on advertising,
so I said, you know what, I'm going to order
this product. They did the procedure, they did all the
death and they said, I don't know what you did
this product.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
They his eye.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
I've got a labrador.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
You could hardly lift yourself up off the door. The
treatment was came to therapy. That's when I said this
could be the ticket. About three weeks could tell she.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Was very alert. She was going on buy my walk and.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
She could like crime again.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
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Or visit carnivore dot com.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
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Speaker 4 (14:26):
Let's talk past.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Let's done past. Talk about radio, Hetline.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Radio, petlve radio dot com.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Okay, everybody, we're back with Brian and this is his
first dog. He's in his forties and he finally has
his first dog, which is I think it's a wonderful thing.
Too bad you can't take him to work with you.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That would be great if I was in the canine
almost one day, almost one.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
But you could train him, Yeah, train well.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
I am a friend from work.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
He had a policewoman at the park that used to
bring her dobe. Yeah, tell me little area. And then
the dog flunked out. Okay, thank the dog to run.
And I always used to say to oh, bring her,
bring her in with us. No, can't do. But he
did it for a couple of months and then and
then the dog flunked out.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
I got a friend from work who does rescues from
melon was and the shepherds, and he just training to us.
I was thinking about bringing forced to him as well.
I know you told me about the other gay Miguel.
I wanted to see as well, this guy with the
melon loss. He would kind of training. He has maybe
get Forrest trained somehow as well, a.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Little bit more.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Yeah, I mean, I think quite frankly, we were talking today,
I think Forrest knows more than what you know. He knows.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, me too.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Definitely, like hand signals, I think they did because we
watch him walk. He's got the focus on you. That's
the most important. That they like. I asked Molly until
he to check in every once in a while.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
I remember he told me that they did the park.
He came back to check on me. Your guy, he's
checking in the duw.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
That's good. I remember you told me that.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, but they told you what they taught him.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Right, They did have hand signals for dob. Yeah, they
didn't know they have the hand signals as well.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
They do for sure. They told me yeah, and he
still I still came him to do it. He was
very food motivated. It told very food motivated with the
treats and stuff for the hand sign Uh. How they
trained him and you know he still doesn't. But I
don't want to get away from the how do you
call it from? Like with the commands that he knows
he still has.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
But unless you want use your fingers and you got
the ball, believe it or not. It's like all of
those dogs there, they're into the ball. If it's not theirs,
they want, somebody else's stelling.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You about the commands. I have a list.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
I want to show you what they gave me of
all all the commands. He should know there's a whole
bunch of them. I'll bring it the next time I
see you.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
This might I hope inspire other people when they go
to look for a dog that there are different avenues
because a lot of people when I before I got Chilli,
I went through a forster because we wanted to make
sure that the dog I got got along with other
dogs and cats. And they threw me off, and I mean,
(17:19):
come on, how could you not want me to adopt
your dog? I was devastated. I had to go to
a shelter. I never went to a shelter in my life.
It was heartbreaking. So if this could be an avenue
for people to go and adopt, but yeah, had me right?
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Absolutely, Yeah, a great thing for sure. And I never
knew much about dogs.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I guess it's my first dog adopts in the process
and all that. Just look downline and want my gut
feeling and what felt right, and I happened to just
find them. I texted a car or. I texted, but
it was in contact with other agencies, and I almost
adopted a pit bull. She's real aggressive to call me,
call me, call me to adopt the pit bull. But
I see it sell the pitcher of forest and everything,
and the one's pushy they're pushy in the pit pool
(18:04):
for some reason. But the forest not let me take
him home twice.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
So he's he's the perfect doge. He really is, and
for our pack, he really is. He's going to be
a contender. He might end up being captain Captain of
the team with every different personality because some of the
other dogs, they're coming out of their shell and then
you know, you could see, I mean it's Tilly and
(18:28):
Molly and Mocha. You know, they've always played together, but
now we got Riley. He's becoming very vocal. When he
first came, he just walked with Bob. He didn't thing
to do with us. Listen, it's the best way to
start the day.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I love going on more. Yeah, you know it's my
dad going quick. I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
It's a wonderful thing.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Oh yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
If there's anything else you want to tell all listeners.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
So Kelenus forest By must change his name to because
the tag in his name takes a Damien Damien Forest goes.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
But he responds to that.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
But it's a perfect name, fan.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, yeah, the perfect name for him.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
So you named him that or he had that name?
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Yeah, that was a name. Yeah, right first, saw pictures
and stuff of him and everything. Yeah, he's already named Forest.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Are the prisons do this as well?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I assume they do. I've heard of it, but I
don't know exactly which ones, but yeah, they do, though
they do.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
We're statewide, worldwide, there might be other states that so
to all our listeners, that's another avenue. And they're already trained.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yes, yeah, yeah, that's a good thing. They're already trained.
So it helped a lot, big difference like an old dog, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
With the other dogs that was in the pro mainly, No,
they're on the same age.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
A lot of them one year old. I saw some
two three year olds. There's one puppy in there. I
believe he was a shepherd Melonwalt mixed. He was a small,
a small, a few months old. They said he was
right next to Forest in his cage. And I have
the question originally how Forest would be from the cat. Well,
he's hasn't been specifically around cats necessarily, but he's around
the dog.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I think his name is the beagle was a dog's name.
He was a Malan wall shepherd and tough dogs.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, and they said it was very good around the
small dog, so he they assumed you be good the cat.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
He's good around dogs, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
That's what was next door in that smaller dog section.
He's very good with him too, So yeah, he doesn't
get aggressive.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You should bring him there because you know, when it's
too much mud, we go over there. At first they
made a big stink, but.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah we did the other day when I was there. Yeah,
I remember we thrown the ball over there and it
went over the other side of the fence.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Hark Park is bigger. Well, I want to thank you
for sharing your story.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Oh yeah, anytime, any time, for sure. Glad to share
it back once.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Uh, we'll do like an anniversary of what it's been
like to pick up poop for over a year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Adding a little tidbit to the show that you just
listened to, and that is to say that that gorgeous,
wonderful Forrest was returned, and needless to say, I'm very disappointed.
We got no warning that he was going to be returned,
and I just want to let people know what happens
(21:12):
to an animal when they are returned. Normally it's three
three and three three days after coming from wherever you
get the dog from to decompress and not be in
a cage and just relax. After those three days, it's
three weeks to they learn your routine, and after those
(21:36):
three weeks it's three months, so they believe and feel
they have found or forever home. Forrest didn't get that.
I think Forrest was only with this gentleman for two months.
But what it does to a dog is, you know,
they are living, breathing, sociable animal like ourselves. Number One,
(22:02):
they start to lose trust. Besides the sadness. And I'm
not saying that he went back to a bad situation.
I'm sure going back to the trainer, he's going to
be loved. I'm sure there's other dogs there that might
have been his pals. But when he was hanging with us,
this dog had it made. He had a lot of friends,
(22:24):
He chased balls, he was he could have been the
captain of the team. He was a really, really loved
member of our dog park. And what happens is, you know,
they lose their confidence and they become a little timid,
or maybe he'll create a persona that he won't be
(22:45):
so easy going. And I have to say this dog
was trained very well. Better than the owner that had
him knowing what this dog knew, because there were definitely
hand signals that even I would do with him that
I could see. He was for eighteen months, he was
(23:06):
trained well, and he lived well. And then he comes
out and he has a home and people that he
thought loved him. He came to the park with other
people who grew to love him, and he had dogs
that really liked him and wanted to play with him.
And then one day he's put into the car and
(23:28):
he's driven back and put back into a cage. I'm
sure that there is some socialization maybe with the other
dogs there, but this is what happens to the dogs.
When people, even people that go to a shelter, they
get a dog, you know, they give it a couple
of days or a couple of weeks, or even a
(23:49):
couple of months, and then they decide, ah, too much work.
I don't know if the dog is for me. You
know what, if you don't commit, don't get a dog.
If you can't be somebody who will commit, come hell
or high water, no matter what happens, when you walk
out with that dog, you have to keep that dog
(24:11):
until the day you have to put him down or
her down. Sorry, there's no excuses for this. I think
it's just lazy and it's selfish. If you didn't want
the dog and you weren't going to commit, then don't
get it. It's not like buying a pocket book or
a boat or a car. I'm very, very disappointed, as
(24:32):
is everybody else at the park, because nobody was even alerted.
Maybe there was somebody at the park that might have
wanted the dog. I heard through the grapevine that somebody
did want the dog, but because there was a contract,
they had to bring the dog back. Which listen, these
people are in jail, how are they gonna know? But
(24:54):
meanwhile there's a dog now back on the gravel, back
behind b I'm sure he's getting love and a lot
of you know, fun things, but in his mind is
the memory of where he was before. Because this dog
still was only eighteen months, so the dog definitely was
a puppy. And I just think it's cruel because I
(25:19):
think that the confidence and the trust is gonna shift
because and maybe the dog will develop certain other habits
because he didn't know what he did. You know, I
don't think he was brought back for anything. He did.
I think he was brought back for what the owner
couldn't provide, which was commitment. And I just think that
(25:43):
when you get a dog, a cat, when you make
that commitment. Listen, my Tillia is. She is not perfect.
She is a hoodlum. I wouldn't trade her for all
the tea in China. We adapt. I still love her,
you know, I work around it. She's not And she
was found outside in a cage, so a lot of
(26:04):
her stuff is for what she went through because when
I adopted her, I was told they found her on
the streets. That wasn't so she was in an outside
cage and I got her in August, which means she
went through fourth of July, which is a horrible time
for her any kind of fireworks, and down here in Florida,
(26:25):
when they do fireworks for one day, it lasts a week.
So you just have to you know, if you're not
gonna make the commitment, nobody's gonna fall. You don't get
an animal. Or maybe you'd be better at fostering if
you think that it's an animal that might be adopted
(26:46):
fairly soon, or maybe you know you could take a
dog for a weekend, you know, a fidoh weekend. But
if you're not going to commit forever, please don't get
a dog, because what happens is all of the pain
and the suffering and the sadness could pile up because
you know a lot of these dogs and shelters. How
(27:07):
many times have they been returned or what are they
doing in a shelter to begin with? I mean, the
most loving animals who would do anything for you, would
wag their tail when you come in the house. To
treat them that way is just unforgivable. So I just
wanted to let you know. I decided to post the
show anyway because it was delightful while it lasted. And
(27:32):
this is really a teaching moment that we don't really
know what Forest is going through, but since we at
our age have had pets and probably shelter animals and
met dogs that have certain issues anxiety, we can well
imagine that. I'm sure he's not happy we had a
loving home, or so he thought. But I just wanted
(27:55):
to enlighten you and maybe if somebody's listening there and
they're thinking of getting an animal to adopt, please only
adopt if you're going to make the commitment forever, because really,
these are living, breathing, wonderful animals and when you have them,
and it takes time for them to adjust. And that's
(28:18):
all I want to say. And I'm breathing regularly now
because I've been quite upset. I want to thank Mark,
I want to thank Tilly for making me a dog mom,
and remember to live life unleashed by everybody. See you
next time.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Let's talk.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
That's every week on demand only on petlive radio dot
com
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